Most homebuyers keep their eyes peeled when house hunting and are quick
to spot visible problems.

But many forget to also listen carefully, says Harcourts Africa CEO Martin
Schultheiss. While it is vital to pay close attention to potential
structural problems and signs of neglect in any property you plan to buy,
keeping your ears tuned to noise levels should play an equally important
part in your decision-making.

Noise nuisance can severely limit ones enjoyment of the biggest
investment most people are likely to make, and may even lead to medical
problems such as stress, he explains.

And sometimes just listening during a home viewing may not be enough.
Viewing a property on a quiet weekend day may not prepare you for
the constant  and potentially very irritating  traffic noise
coming from a nearby main route on a weekday.

Equally, nature lovers may enjoy the sight of a nearby body of
water and look forward to watching the sun set over the water after a
hard days work  but be totally unprepared for the noise when
hundreds of raucous hadedas fly in to their roosts or loud boats with
outboard engines shatter the peace early on a weekend morning.

He says tolerance to noise will obviously vary and that potential buyers
should consider what different members of their own families will find
acceptable. For instance, babies and young toddlers may very well
find sleep difficult if a nearby restaurant plays loud music, while teenagers
may be completely oblivious to the competition to their own sound systems.

Equally, people working nightshift may encounter sleeping problems
if they buy in areas where noise levels escalate during the day, for example
near a school where bells ring or there are sporting activities all afternoon.

It is thus important for your future peace of mind to scout the
surrounds of any home your are interested in for neighbours, roads or
public venues that may generate unacceptable noise levels, Schultheiss
says.